Man loses Rs 4.1 lakh in online cab booking scam: Here’s how it happened

In today’s world, booking a cab online seems like the easiest and most convenient way to travel. However, for one man, it turned into a nightmare, causing him to lose Rs 4.1 lakh. Let’s take a look at how this unfortunate scam unfolded, and how you can avoid falling victim to similar frauds.

On November 7, the victim, a man from West Bengal, was looking to book a car rental in Udupi. He searched for car rental services on Google and came across a website called Shakti Car Rentals. Seemingly a legitimate service, he decided to proceed. 

Soon after, a person who introduced himself as Rohit Sharma reached out to the victim. Rohit instructed him to visit the Shakti Car Rentals website and pay a small registration fee of Rs 150, reports TOI. Trusting the instructions, the man tried to pay using his Canara Bank debit card. However, he didn’t receive an OTP, which made him cautious. 

Also read: IAS officer loses Rs 1cr to fake investment expert: How it happened and tips to stay safe

He then attempted the payment again using his State Bank of India (SBI) credit card, but still no OTP arrived. Despite these issues, Rohit reassured him that he could simply pay the driver the amount upon the car’s arrival. At 1:47 pm, the victim received bank messages showing that Rs 3.3 lakh had been debited from his SBI credit card and Rs 80,056 from his Canara Bank debit card. In total, the victim had lost Rs 4.1 lakh.

It soon became clear that the entire transaction had been a fraudulent setup, with the victim tricked into entering his card details on a fake payment page. 

Also read: Delhi man loses Rs 2.7 lakh in fake job scam: Here’s how the scam unfolded

How to protect yourself from such scams

• Be cautious of unknown websites: Always check the website’s URL and ensure it’s legitimate. Stick to well-known and trusted platforms for online bookings.
• Verify contact information: If someone contacts you, especially for payments, take extra care. Avoid sharing personal details unless you are absolutely sure about the source.
• Look for red flags: If the payment process is unusual, such as not receiving an OTP or being asked to make payments in an unusual way, stop immediately.
• Secure your online transactions: Always use secure payment methods and enable two-factor authentication where possible.
• Report suspicious activities: If you think you’ve been scammed, report it to the authorities immediately to help prevent further losses.